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Once a proud example of action/platforming that could tell a story, the Valis series has since deteriorated into a mockery of its former self, like a beauty queen turned crack whore. However, long before it went Hentai, Valis began its downward slide with a game that proved Telenet simply no longer cared. This is what we got instead of a true Valis II port…
For almost two decades, the Valis franchise has been turning heads, be it for its solid action, incredible cut scenes, or even its recent foray into the world of hentai. All of this controversy had to begin somewhere, and Sega-16 takes a look at the game that started the famous storyline, Valis: the Fantasm Soldier. It may not stack up to its Turbo Grafx-16 CD-ROM counterpart, but Genesis gamers didn’t get off all that bad.
Despite two other releases, Genesis owners were lucky enough to get a great port of Valis III. Sure, it’s missing some levels and a few cut scenes, but this is essentially the same game, and it was one of the big draws from Renovation upon its debut. Moreover, it has perhaps one of the best endings of the pre-CD era, a perfect cap to the awesome storyline that unfolds between stages (complete with Engrish and everything!).
In perhaps the saddest twist for a gaming franchise, Telenet Japan has once and for all proven that nothing is sacred. A new game in the Valis series was released this past Monday, but there’s an evil twist that is sure to enfuriate fans everywhere. Sit down, take a deep breath, and prepare for your childhood to die a litttle more as you read our feature Valis: Downfall of a Franchise.
Before going hentai, the Valis series of games offered solid platforming action with some great cut scenes and a rockin’ soundtrack. Released for all the consoles of the 16-bit era (the Genesis received three games), the origins of the franchise go back much further, and one would be surprised at just how everything started. This retrospective covers the entire history of the series, from its tangled origins to its final 2D gasps.